The Hurry and the Blames

Its a fast world today. Everyone seems to be running...running for work, running from work, running to work, running back from work....and some of us running around aimlessly !
Unintentionally I seem to have become a part of the "I Run" crowd. But during all this when I am travelling (mostly back from college) I sit at the window, gazing outside watching the world move below me (a local bus happens to be the tallest passenger vehicle in pune). I wonder why do people run so much, why such a hurry? What is that urgent business for which you do not seem to waste even an iota of a second?

In the mornings I fortunately happen to pass by 3 temples, one which is my paternal side's god, one my maternal side's and one which I have known as "Bappa", which is very frequently used as "Jai Bappa". And these 3 temples are located in the vicinity of each other, so it is like a holy area, where every "runner" and "non" runner stops to bow and be blessed. So this is India and no matter how fast we want to go, God always makes us take a second and calm down.
Then quickly the running resumes, after all we got to catch up in the Big Race. What must God be thinking, I mean come on at least be sincere enough when you want to seek blessing. But then who is to blame? The Boss who does not accept late comers, even though they halted for God or the worker himself who asks for a blessing that lasts him only for a day and has to come back the next day again?

You know it is very funny, at bus depots, travellers are lucky because there are well maintained queues and those at the starting end, when hop into the scheduled bus, go so frenzy, as if they dont seem to contain the hapiness of fiinding an empty bus and getting the liberty to choose any seat they wish to sit on, just any ! It is a sight to watch them run around like the pop corns popping or bubbles of a soda fuzzing. And it gets even better when it is a family because then they all take up their favourite seats and want the other members to leave theirs. During this activity these family members do not let the co-passengers occupy those reserved adjacent seats. But then who is to be blamed? Those family members who decide to choose their favourite seat? Or those members who do not listen and leave the currently occupied seat and move to where the other members ask them to?

Recently the bus halted at a stop and there was another bus infront of our's, which was just moving on. A newly wed couple seemed to realize that, that was their ride a little late. But still the husband decided to take a chance and caught the wife's hand and before the lady knew, they were running towards the bus, just a little later the wife tripped and fell (ouch). We don't seem to be acustomed to see grown people falling down, if it were a child, the scene would not have been such a head turner. Anyways, the wife fell and some saw it happening and some did not, so those who did began explaining the scene. It was happening at the stop and in my bus. And a couple of old ladies, post description put on their Sherlock Holmes cap and were investigating on the reasons(R) for the fall and respective inferences(I). Some of the options were:
R1- the saree got tangled betweet the legs.
I 1- The girls these days just do not know how to tie the saree. Painful price to pay to be fashionable.
R2 - The high heeled foot wear.
I2 - Damn the fashion, yet again.
R3 - The men, never do things on time, want to rush on with things later and we (ladies) pay the price.
I3 - Men will be men!
So the intense discussion ended with a satisfied conclusion and the "blame" crown was awarded to men.

And as the journey continued, next was the very old - traffic jam, for a short period of course, may be not even a minute. But even during those few seconds drivers just want to barge in their vehicle, I do not know where? And they honk ! I don't seem to understand why honk? What signifcance does it hold in a jam? When you are jammed up because of the vehicle infront of you, for sure even he is in the same position. When you can't seem to find a way out that very moment, where do you want him to go? Really people need to have some traffic ethics and a LOT of sense. As if halting for those few seconds would take away SO much from their life! It doesn't only irritate the ear drums but actually worsen the traffic jam condition. Believe me, I see it all sitting up there by my "favourite" seat's window. But then who is to blame? The bosses who randomly pick up the same office ending time at all the organizations? Or the wifes back home who demand for a long explanation for being so late?

Begining the journey

Time is ticking fast, breakfast half done and I am already hurrying on my way, thinking "Gosh! Hope I am not late!", at a distance I see the red machine, all bright and fresh, still dressed with Diwali decorations, indeed I am a little late, I start running, the driver recognises me and decides to wait for a few moments until I can climb on, "Yipee! Made it." I choose a comfortable seating and my fast track reads 0815 hrs, my eyes close (Late nights again, nah not partying but finishing some chores) as the engine roars. Eyes open, 0825 hrs on my fast track and I see the rags and slums of Pune....eyes close again and by 0840 hrs the sight in front of me was the lavish side of the city. This is just a very tiny part of how things unfold during my Pune's PMT ride. Also not to forget, keeping me entertained all the while are the various radio stations playing a spectrum of songs and even more interesting the advertisements and fillers.

Getting back on the journey, I see the few usual set of people and some who happen to hop into that route by chance. This group, who travel almost every day with me in that route, are people from different age groups, family back grounds, religions, castes but the one thing they all have in common, they all seem so happy to be there with each other. Obviously each one of them is heading for work. Some work to support their families, some because they still want to face challenges at their retirement age and some because they don't want to face the daily rut of family problems. Whatever be the reason, that bus ride gives them all a chance to forget who they are, why they are, what they do, why they do it and be what they want to be, why they want to be, do what they want to and all of this without any selfish reason. On second thoughts, maybe there is...to be happy.

They are like kids, making fun of people, each other, discussing serious matters and laughing on almost anything! What amazes me the most is that these people who otherwise could relate as father and daughter, brother and sister, basically people who would otherwise not connect and communicate as they do here, as if the generation gap all of a sudden seems to disappear. Looking at them there is only one thing I find myself pondering about, this is so simple, and this is exactly what life is - Simple! Recently I had read- "A poor guy is much better than a rich man because at least he doesn't PRETEND to be happy all the time. However he pretends to be unhappy all the time!"

Barriers can be broken; life can be so damn simple. No one needs to read books and stories to find out the secrets of life. Live your own stories. They are all around us; we just need to hear it. Every bus ride of mine since the past 2 years has been a story in itself and from now on, this is where I would like to share it with everybody.